Firework
by AbbyMasrai
Summary: Four boys.  Four secrets.  Will they let their secrets consume them, or will they find their inner light and shine for all the world to see?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back…sorta. I'll try to update my other stories sometime this weekend, but I just had to post this story. Before you ask, it is inpsired by the Katy Perry song, "Firework." I hope you enjoy it!**

**Special thanks to my best friend 76 trombones who really helped me develop this story. If you like Harry Potter, you really need to read 76 trombone's stuff!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own BTR or the Katy Perry song "Firework"**

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_Some people suffer in __silence__ louder than others_Morrie Brickman

They're at it again.

The screaming, the curse words, the thumps on the wall…it's all like a broken record to Kendall Knight. Day in and day out, he sits in his sister's room, rubbing her back as she tries to stop her tears, hoping that each other's presence would be enough to weather the hellish night.

He holds his sister close, his grip tightening on her as the yelling grows louder. As his sister sobs, the sixteen year old hums a few bars of her favorite song, hoping to lull her to sleep. It doesn't work. It never works, but Kendall doesn't know what else he can do to try to comfort her. Truth is, no comfort could alleviate their problems. All he and his sister can do is wonder just when tonight's spectacle would end.

The shattering of glass keeps his little sister awake, her tears increasing with every noise they hear, as they become increasingly more belligerent. Stroking his sister's light brunette hair, Kendall wishes he could stop him from doing this to _his _family . Though the blonde wills his body to move, he is too frightened to do what his brain tells him to.

He flinches as the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh rings in his ears. Vaguely, Kendall wonders where he hit her this time. He always was scary good at hurting her in places where no one else could see. Feeling a head rest against his chest, Kendall realizes his sister, though only ten years old, knows what their father had just done.

As with most nights, this act ends the fight. Kendall hears the slam of a door and once the silence descends upon the household, he hears the sound of his mother's weeping. After a while, she too becomes quiet. Darkly, Kendall assumes she had cried herself to sleep.

He rubs the few tears that found their way onto his face, his need to remain strong for his sister evident. Looking down, he sees she has fallen asleep in his lap once again, her face red from her most recent crying session. He feels his heart clench as he watches her breathe unevenly, the knowledge that she can only find peace in her dreams heartbreaking. Slowly, he carries her to her bed and gently lays her on it. After pulling the covers over her body, he softly kisses her on the forehead before tiptoeing to the kitchen.

Had Kendall known any better, he would've thought a tornado had swept through the kitchen, leaving utter chaos in its wake. Taking the steps all too familiar to him, Kendall goes into the pantry and retrieves the broom. He lets his mind meander as he sweeps, imagining what had just transpired in this kitchen. He shudders, but continues to sweep, knowing that if the kitchen isn't clean by morning, his father would be upset. Once the garabage was taken care of, Kendall begins to wipe down the counters. His breath catches in his throat as he takes in the copious amount of blood on the counter. With a sickening knot forming in his stomach, Kendall knows it's his mother's blood that he's cleaning up. After throwing the last of the rags into the trashcan, Kendall surveys the kitchen, making sure it was perfect. Satisfied that the evidence of tonight's quarrel could no longer be seen, he slowly trudges upstairs to his bedroom.

Flopping down on his bed, he blankly stares up at the ceiling, his eyes seeing beyond it. Giving up, he allows the tears to flow freely down his face, not even bothering to wipe them away from his pristine green eyes. As Kendall lies in his bed, he contemplates. Why did he bother continuing this vicious cycle everyday? What was the point of his life…to watch his own mother suffer at the hands of his abusive father? Was his point in life making unsuccessful attempts of consoling his sister as she realizes that her daddy is a monster. If that's his purpose in life, Kendall muses, then why bother continuing to live? He doesn't have much going for him, just hockey. But recently, even hockey doesn't seem to fill the void. He knows his friends noticed his change in demeanor, but everytime someone asks, he lies. Eventually, they just gave up, which Kendall didn't mind at all. It's his life, and it's no one else's business. If he can't control his personal life, then why would he bring more people into it? Adding people to the equation makes life more complicated, Kendall reckons. And that is the _last _thing he needs in his life.

Kendall remembers the knife he hides in a suitcase under his bed. He bought it two years ago when his father first started his abusive ways, as a means of protection. Now, he wonders if he could put it to better use. The thought sends pools of relief in his body, like the ripples a drop of water upon a still lake produces upon impact. But he brushes the idea away. He can't do it, not now. Not while he has Katie, his dear baby sister, to worry about.

With a heavy heart, Kendall pulls the covers over himself and enters a restless sleep, knowing that tomorrow will be just as terrible as every other day.

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**A/N: So…what did you think? Did you like it? Please let me know, the writing style is so vastly different from what I normally write that it's hard for me to know if I'm doing a good job. And if people do want this story to continue, the next chapter will be in Carlos' POV. So please, let me know if I should continue! Thank you all!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So this story has probably received the most feedback out of all my stories. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and favoriting and alerting this story! It means the world to me! You guys are seriously amazing and I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as the first one!**

**I would like to thank my best friend 76-trombones for helping me with this chapter. You're the best.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

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_Most people get a fair amount of fun out of their lives, but on balance life is suffering, and only the very young or the very foolish imagine otherwise_- George Orwell

It started with a fever.

Hector Garcia had always been sickly, so no one in the Garcia family thought anything of it for the first week or so. It was the random bruises and constant vomiting, coupled with the ever-present fever, that caused the family to take Hector to the doctor. After running various tests, the doctor had a diagnosis that shocked the family senseless.

Their sweet little nine year old Hector had acute lymphobatic leukemia.

They received the news only eight weeks ago, but for Carlos, the transformation he saw take place in his little brother was terrifying.

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As Carlos sits by his brother's beside, he looks over the nine year old increduously. Though Hector had always been small for his age, he now resembles a skeleton. His face is gaunt, the healthy flushed hue completely wiped off of his face. His cheekbones jut out, his skin tightly stretched across their sharp edges. The chemo had caused Hector's spiky raven hair to fall out, so Carlos' mother tearfully requested the nurses to shave it off. Now, his young face looks even older and sicklier than Carlos thought was possible.

The doctors tell the Garcia family to not lose hope. Hector was young, they claim, and acute lymphobatic leukemia has many types of treatment they can administer should the chemo fail to work. Hector's main doctor, a young woman named Alexis Johnson, insists that positivity is the number one treatment they have. Dr. Johnson says she has witnessed the power of positivity at work, and that it truly is the key to any person' recovery.

Carlos doesn't doubt what the good doctor says, but as he hold Hecktor's hand and listens to his ragged breathing, he doesn't know if all the positivity in the world could save his little brother now.

He fears it's too late.

The door to Hector's hospital room opens and his mother and father walk in, along with a person Carlos hasn't seen in a while. Carlos' big sister Gloria hesitantly approaches the bed, her hands shaking as she leans over to hug Hector. The nineteen year old then turns to Carlos, her light brown eyes darkened by the sorrow she feels. Knowing his brother is watching, Carlos keeps his composure as he hugs his big sister, fighting the urge to collapse into her embrace. After several minutes, the two part and Carlos is better able to see the state his sister is in.

For most college students, the biggest anxiety is doing well in their classes. Though Gloria is a pre-med student, Carlos knows the bags under her eyes are not from her classes. He can't even imagine how she must've felt when she received the phone call from her mom about Hector's illness. Almost reflexively, Carlos tries to offer a small, comforting smile to reassure his big sister that everything will be okay.

The Garcia family sits in the hospital room for hours, attempting to reassure one another that love and hope will get them through this ordeal. Eventually, they fall into silence, allowing themselves to explore the recesses of their mind.

Carlos has never been one for stillness or contemplation, so when the silence proves too great for him to handle, he asks his sister about college. Though he isn't really interested in hearing about microorganisms and bacteria, he is grateful for the distraction, though half-hearted it might be.

The family continues this pattern for the duration of their time. After what feels like both an eternity and an instant, a nurse enters the room, politely telling them that visting hours are over. Mrs. Garcia fights back her tears as she kisses her baby's forehead, wishing him sweet dreams. After Mrs. Garcia comes Mr. Garcia, who kisses Hector's forehead as well, promising him that they would be back as soon as visiting hours started in the morning. He gives his son a reassuring pat on the shoulder before he steps aside to let Gloria say goodnight. Keeping a brave front, she hugs him and tells him everything will be okay. She gives him a quick peck on the cheek and gives Carlos room to say goodbye.

Carlos' stomach plummets to his feet as he approaches his brother's bed for the last time that night. He avoids his brother's eyes as he leans in to hug him, knowing that if he looked into Hector's eyes, he would completely break down. Carlos feels his brother wrap his bony arms around him weakly, which doesn't help Carlos' current emotional state at all. Staying in this position for some time, Carlos strains to feel the rhythm of his brother's heartbeat, hoping it would serve as a reminder that his brother is still of this earth. Though soft, Carlos definitely feels it, and for the first time that night, he allows himself to hope.

The two brothers break the embrace, but Carlos lingers. Logically, he knows his brother will still be there in the morning, the doctors gave no indication that his condition is that advanced. But he still can't bring himself to leave his baby brother.

When he sees that Carlos is not moving, Mr. Garcia places his hand on his eldest son's shoulder, and gently leads him away from Hector. With one last goodbye, the Garcia family leaves the hospital room.

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**A/N: I want to dedicate this chapter to those who know what it's like to have loved ones extremely ill and/or dying. My prayers are with you.**

**Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! I really hope you liked it. Next chapter will be about Logan's secret. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys! I know it's been a while. I'm sooo sorry! It's been a very busy past few weeks, especially with Thanksgiving and all. Plus, this chapter was really difficult for me to write because I had no clue how to go about doing it. **

**Once again, 76-trombones is amazing for helping me! Much love.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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_Whoever wishes to keep a secret must hide the fact that he possesses one _–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

He sits at his usual table in the school library, trying to do his homework. But he can't. No matter how hard he tries to concentrate on his assignment, Logan Mitchell's eyes keep drifting away from his biology book. Not even the Amazonian pirhanas could keep his focus off of the guy sitting three tables away. As the object of Logan's attention continues to tutor Mattie Jenkins, a mutual classmate, the spiky haired teen feels his heart throb. Logan tries to remember what started this whole thing, but no matter how much he racks his brain, he can't.

He can't remember when he fell in love with Jeremy Fuller.

It started out innocently enough. They had several Honors and advanced placement classes together, and as a result, became friends. While waiting for their classes to start, they learned many things about one another and, as fate would have it, it turned out they had a lot in common. In the time they spent getting to know each other, Logan had come to admire the other boy for his intellect and kindness. But when exactly that admiration turned into infatuation, Logan honestly can't pinpoint it. It just happened naturally, like the setting of the sun.

A sudden movement jolts Logan back to reality, and he notices Mattie leave, her backpack slung over her shoulder. Jeremy bids her farwell, then stretches his back and massages his shoulders, trying to relax his stiff, cramped muscles. Casually, he turns his head toward Logan, giving him a friendly smile before returning to his Literature homework. Logan smiles back, suddenly feeling very brave. He stands up and walks over to where Jeremy is sitting. The dark brunette looks up at Logan, his baby blues twinkling with curiosity and amusement. As Logan stares into his eyes, he starts to panic. He tries to gather his courage, but all he can do is stutter as he feels the heat emanate off of his cheeks. Jeremy's bemused expression quickly morphs into one of concern, causing Logan to lose his nerve. Lamely, he asks Jeremy what their Literature homework was and trudges back to his chair. With a defeated sigh, he flops into his chair, mentally kicking himself. He was _so _close…he almost asked Jeremy out. But he chickened out.

Though Logan is upset with himself, he rationalizes that it's for the best that Jeremy didn't know the truth. For one, Logan doesn't know if Jeremy is gay in the first place. He doesn't want to run the risk of putting both Jeremy and himself in an awkward situation. Secondly, Logan realizes, he's scared. He's scared that Jeremy will reject him and will never talk to him again. And, more than that, Logan is afraid that everyone else in the school, including his three best friends, will find out. And in a small town in Minnesota, where the vast majority of the people are ultraconservative, homosexuality is not welcomed.

Logan feels his heart begin to race at the thought of what would happen. The names, the bullying…the isolation. Nothing would ever be the same; no one would ever _treat _him the same. He'd be an outcast, students and teachers alike looking down on him. He didn't even _want _to toy with the idea of telling his parents. It makes him shutter just to think of what their reaction might be. His relationship with them has always been strained, the last thing he needs to happen is for them to stop loving him altogether.

Logan never understood it…how people can hate someone because of love. It frightens him to think such loathing exists in this world...it makes him want to keep his sexual orientation a secret until the day he dies. To live such a lie saddens Logan, but he knows he must in order to survive. Not even his dearest friends could know, no matter how desperately he wants to tell them. If Logan ever lost them, he wouldn't know what to do with himself.

Suddenly feeling very overwhelmed, Logan picks up his books and shoves them into his backpack before racing out of the library. With each step he takes, Logan's conviction grows stronger. His fear outweighs his desire, his brain triumphant over his heart. In the end, it's better that nobody will ever found out. If nobody knew, then nobody could hate him or be disgusted with him. Life could continue as it does currently. And Logan likes his life as it is, without the bitter taste of rejection.

It was just better for him to keep his mouth shut and let his secret remain a secret.

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**A/N: I know this was probably pretty predictable, but I believe that it's an important secret to highlight because people do struggle with this. I hope to God after I reveal James' secret (which is probably pretty predictable, too), the story will take a more original turn. I'm going to try, and I hope you all bear with me. But please do let me know if it gets too cliché or too predictable. I won't get offended at all, I promise!**

**Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. Please, let me know what you think. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm sooo sorry. Again. I've been sick for the past week and a half, and I had finals before that. So, it's been a busy time since I last updated.**

**Thanks to all of you who are sticking with me and are continuing to read/review. It seriously means the world to me.**

Chapter 4

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_Nothing is so burdensome as a secret –_ French Proverb

Control. It's a goal the vast majority of the population strives for. In a world where many feel like they have no say in their life in any way, shape, or form, even the smallest amount of control is desirable. For some, that control is found through the dominance of others. For others, control appears in the form of power. But perhaps one of the most common ways people feel this sense of control is through the discipline of not eating. To deny oneself of the most basic need is true control. The ability to go for longer periods of time is exciting, thrilling even. It's a sign that they're in command, the master. But as James Diamond looks down at his dinner, disgust consumes his entire being. The illusion of control shatters completely and utterly. Were it not for the fact his father is sitting at the table with him, James would have dumped the contents of his meal into the garbage disposal, as he does most days. But tonight is family night, the only night of the week he and his dad manage to spend good, old-fashion quality time together without disrupting their busy schedules. Though James loves his father very much, he resents the fact he has to put up a front for him. A part of that front includes partaking in a delicious meal his father cooks, which tortures James greatly.

As he does every week, James puts a smile on his face as he tries to choke down his father's famous pot roast. It used to be his favorite meal, but now, it tastes absolutely revolting. Ignoring the awful taste in his mouth, James enthusiastically compliments his father on his pot roast. With each bite he takes, James feels sicker and sicker. Finally, the pain in his stomach becomes so great, he has to push his plate away. His father eyes the plate weirdly, before giving his son an equally confused look. James peers down at his plate, and realizes that well over three-fourths of the food is still on his plate. He looks back at his dad, and quickly explains that he had a big lunch at school. He sees his dad visibly relax, instantly buying his lie. Whether it was because he is a good liar or because he his father is oblivious, James doesn't know. He's just grateful that he doesn't have to make up even more excuses.

James sits at the table as his dad continues to eat. He mostly remains silent, the nausea he feels becoming more and more intense by the minute. Though it pains him physically, James manages to remain seated throughout the whole meal, adding comments here and there whenever prompted by his dad. He does this because he knows above all else, he has to pretend everything is okay. He has to protect his secret. To his relief, his father finally finishes eating. After helping his dad wash the dishes and bidding him goodnight, James rushes to his room. Quickly, he turns on his radio, allowing the loud music to fill his room. Satisfied that his father wouldn't be able to hear, he enters the bathroom and kneels in front of the toilet.

Instant relief floods his body as he empties the content of his stomach into the bowl. He remains in front of the toilet for a little while, making extra sure that he has thrown up everything he's eaten. Once he finishes, the flushes the toilet, the shame quickly replacing the relief he had felt. He then stands up, and goes to his sink to brush his teeth. At first, he used to abhor the taste of vomit in his mouth. But now, he barely even acknowledges the taste.

Once he finishes brushing his teeth, James walks back into his room, turns off the radio, and climbs into bed. He pulls the covers over his body, trying to warm up his shivering body. As he tries to fall asleep, he thinks of his mother.

To this day, James still blames himself for his parents' divorce. He feels that had he not be so adamant about playing peewee hockey with his friends, his mother would never have met his coach. Had the two of them never met, maybe his mom would never have cheated on his father, and maybe they'd still be together.

The day James found out about his parents' divorce was the worst day of his life. He remembers how hard he cried, and how much he begged his parents to stay together. But they still got a divorce.

His mother moved in with his hockey coach, and they still are together to this day. They got married when James was fourteen, and his mother is now five months pregnant. It feels weird to James, to know that he'll have a stepsister soon. He isn't sure how he'll deal with it.

His father is still single, and hasn't been on a single date since the divorce. Instead, he throws himself into his work, isolating himself further from the world.

So much has changed since the day James' parents divorced. And he's felt powerless during each and every single step of it.

James feels his eyelids growing heavier, and he doesn't fight it. Slowly, James drifts into a fitful sleep.

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**A/N: Ok…so I know NOTHING about eating disorders. Out of all the four secrets, this one was the hardest for me to write simply because I have no experience in the matter. I apologize if you find it lacking. ****Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. **

**I know that this chapter is short, but the rest of the chapters (as far as I know) will have dialogue, so I'll have much more to work with and the chapters should be much longer.**

**Again, I appreciate all the support for this story. You guys are seriously awesome! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you guys for reading and reviewing! I love all the feedback I'm getting! So, I finally finished the new chapter and I hope you guys enjoy it (it's way longer…yay!).**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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Chapter 5

_Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth. _- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Hey Kendall."

The blonde looks down at the dark-haired boy sitting down at his desk. Even though it was only seven forty-five in the morning Logan looks like he's been here studying for a while, his textbooks cracked open and his cup of coffee half-empty.

"Hey Logan," Kendall greets, "How long have you been at school for?"

Logan shrugs. "About thirty minutes or so." Kendall shakes his head in disbelief as he takes a seat next to his best friend.

"I don't understand how someone as smart as you feels the need to study all the time."

Logan merely laughs in response before he goes back to studying. A few minutes pass by, before Logan speaks up.

"How was your weekend, Kendall?"

Kendall freezes, the recollections of his parents' most recent fights creeping into his consciousness. Mentally pushing the thoughts away, Kendall smiles at Logan.

"It was fine…nothing special. Yours?"

Logan is caught off guard by the sudden surge of emotion that coursed through his body in response to Kendall's innocuous question, but recovers quickly.

"Good, good. Got _lots _of my homework done Friday afternoon at the school library." He suddenly feels his face flush, the memories of studying with Jeremy there making his stomach flutter. Kendall doesn't notice, for his phone begins to ring soon after Logan's response. Jamming his hand into his jean pocket, he takes out his phone. He sees that he has received a text message from James. Curious, Kendall opens the message.

_Have you heard from Carlos?_ It says. Kendall quirks an eyebrow at the message.

_No, what's up?_

After sending the message, Kendall glances over at Logan, and notices that he too has his phone out.

"Did you just get a text from James?" Kendall asks.

Logan nods. "About Carlos? Yeah, I did. I wonder what's go—" He stops mid-sentence as his phone goes off again. Quickly, he reads the message and sends another text before turning back to Kendall.

"James says Carlos isn't in Spanish yet." Both boys eye the clock and realize that it's already eight o'clock.

"Maybe he's sick?" Kendall suggests, finding this behavior strange for Carlos.

"Maybe."

They don't discuss the matter for much longer, for their History teacher enters the classroom with an unfamiliar girl walking behind her. The teacher, Mrs. Reynolds, places her bag upon her desk and turns to the class.

"Good morning class," she begins, "Before we start class, I'd like to introduce our new student. This—" She places a hand on the girl's shoulder, "—is Jo Taylor." As the girl smiles shyly at the class, Kendall can't help but marvel at how pretty she is.

Kendall has a hard time focusing in class that day. The Boxer Rebellion – which apparently has nothing at all to do with boxing –isn't nearly as interesting as the new girl. He can't help but stare every time as she runs her fingers through her luxurious blonde hair or stretches her long legs. He jumps in his seat when he feels Logan nudge him in the side. Irritated, Kendall turns to Logan, who gives him a "you-like-the-new-girl-don't you?" look. He scowls in response, earning a smug grin from his best friend.

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Kendall groans as he takes his place at the back of the cafeteria line. Today is "Fish Stick Friday", and Kendall has a sinking feeling that all the fish sticks will be gone by the time he gets there. As he waits impatiently for the line to move, he feels a tap on his shoulder. As he turns around, his eyes widen as he realizes he's looking into the warm brown eyes of Jo Taylor.

"We have 1st period History together, don't we?" she asks, her eyes bright with recognition.

Kendall stares at her in surprise. "Yeah, we do. I'm a little shocked you recognized me, though. I, for one, am usually _really _bad at remember people's faces."

Jo giggles. "Usually I am too, but after looking over at that boy who sat next to you as he answered every single question the teacher asked, it wasn't hard to recognize you."

"Oh, that would be Logan," Kendall replies, trying to not laugh at his friend's sometimes "know-it-all" syndrome. "He's really smart."

"I can tell."

The two teens continue to talk as they wait for their turn to purchase lunch. Kendall is so engaged in their conversation that he doesn't even notice that he's at the front of the line until an overly rude sophomore yells at him to move. Somewhat annoyed, Kendall peruses the lunch selections, disappointed as he realizes the fish sticks are all gone. After another quick skim over the options, he opts for a Cesar Salad.

Once he and Jo are both done paying for their food, the two continue to converse as they walk back out to the eating area. Kendall spots his usual table, and heads toward it. He sits down and expects Jo to follow suit. When he discovers that she's still standing, Kendall eyes Jo expectantly.

"Do you want to sit here? We have room."

She smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry, but I already promised this girl I'd sit with her and her friends today."

"Wh—" Kendall starts ask, before a loud voice interrupts him. Turning his head, he recognizes an all too familiar girl approaching them.

"Hey, Jo!" a perky brunette exclaims happily.

"Hey, Camille," Jo greets, "Sorry it took me so long…I ran into a friend of mine from History class."

Kendall finds himself feeling slightly disappointed by the term "friend." But he doesn't get much time to brood, for Camille quickly redirects her attention from Jo onto Kendall. Recognizing who he is, Camille smiles brightly.

"Oh, Kendall!" she states excitedly, "Didn't see you there."

Bracing himself, Kendall gives Camille a guarded "hello."

"Sooo…" she says, "Is Logan here yet?"

Kendall sighs, not really in the mood to deal with her. He and his friends met Camille freshman year in their Literature class and ever since, she's been obsessed with Logan.

"Camille, you know as well as I do that Logan has Biology before Lunch. He _always_ stays late after class to talk to the teacher about who knows what," he explains, trying to hide the annoyance from his voice.

Camille exhales dramatically. "All right. I'll go. But when he comes, _please _tell him I came by."

"Always do."

Camille smiles sweetly at him before delivering a swift slap to his face. "Okay, then. We'll see you later, Kendall," she casually states as she pulls a bewildered Jo away.

Kendall rubs his cheek, hoping the sting will quickly vanish. He's all for Camille and her method acting, but he never quite understood why he's always the one to get slapped. She claims it helps her get into the mindset of the character she's playing, but he thinks she just enjoys slapping him.

"Who's the chick with Camille? She's cute. " Kendall hears James ask. As James sits down, Kendall raises an eyebrow at him.

"Aren't you going to get any food?"

James waves his hand dismissively. "I had a big breakfast." Before Kendall could ask him more questions, James changes the subject. "So, who's the girl sitting with Camille and her friends?"

"Her name is Jo. We have History together."

James wiggles his eyebrows mischievously. "You two seemed to hit it off well enough. You should ask her out."

"What? No," Kendall laughs nervously, "I _just _met her today. She might have a boyfriend."

"What are you guys talking about?" Carlos asks as he sits down next to James, setting his tray down on the table.

"Carlos, you're here!" Kendall states, thankful for the chance to take the attention off of himself. "Where were you this morning? James said you were late for Spanish."

"He actually missed Spanish," James points out before turning to the Latino.

"When did you get to school?"

"Oh, I got here in the middle of second period," Carlos replies, trying to remain as nonchalant as possible, "My alarm didn't go off this morning."

The two boys nod, accepting his story. Carlos lets out a breath he unknowingly is holding, grateful to not have to go into detail about another late night at the hospital. "So, what were you guys talking about?" Carlos inquires, anxious to redirect the attention.

James smiles wickedly at Kendall. "Oh, we were just talking about this girl in Kendall's History class."

Carlos' eyes gleam. "Oh?"

James bobs his head. "Yeah, and I think Kendall here might have a little thing for her."

"Dude, Kendall! Ask her out!" Carlos declares emphatically.

"What is it with you two?" Kendall responds in disbelief, "No! I barely know her."

"So? It's not like you're asking her to marry you," James retorts.

"Yeah…well…" Kendall flounders. He then notices two figures approaching their table. "Logan!" he calls out, hoping that the focus will finally go to someone else. Logan smiles at his friends, and turns to the boy standing next to him, exchanging a few words. With a quick wave, the dark brunette walks away. Happily, Logan sits down next to Kendall. As he places his tray on the table, Logan looks over at James and frowns.

"You feeling okay, James?" The boy in question's hazel eyes widen slightly, caught off-guard by Logan's question.

"Yeah," he answers.

"You sure? It doesn't look like you bought lunch today," the smart teen observes. Carlos, suddenly noticing James' lack of food, looks up at him concernedly.

"I just had a big breakfast today, ok?" he replies, his voice sounding more defensive than he had intended. Logan studies the boy for a few minutes, but decides to drop the matter.

Deciding to disrupt the awkward silence that followed James' small outburst, Kendall strikes up a conversation.

"Jeremy seems like a nice guy," Kendall says, referring to the dark brunette Logan was with earlier, "Why don't you invite him to sit with us?"

"W-well," Logan stammers, "He has his own friends that he sits with. I wouldn't want to b-bother him."

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind…you're his friend, after all."

_Friend_. Just hearing the word made Logan's heart hurt, confirming that it will never be.

"Yeah, well…maybe soon," Logan says, trying to conceal his pain. "So…who watched the Wild game last night?"

Excitedly, the four boys launch into their personal critiques of the hockey game, none the wiser to each other's pain.

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**A/N: I hope you guys liked it! I'm sorry…I know I really focused on Kendall and James. But I felt like given the situation, it would be impossible to equally showcase everyone's secret. But I promise to focus on Logan and Carlos (especially) in the next chapter**.

**Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it!**


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